Pretoria - South Africa and Madagascar will consolidate political and economic relations when representatives from the two countries meet today.
Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Llewellyn Landers, is in Madagascar on an official visit which will see him jointly preside over a seminar themed "Madagascar-South Africa relations, past, present and future,” with Foreign Minister Beatrice Atallah.
“The two principals will also share views on the possible establishment of a Bilateral Mechanism between the two countries,” Dirco said on Sunday.
The department said South Africa's bilateral relations with Madagascar are cordial.
“South Africa strongly supports national reconciliation in Madagascar, both from a bilateral point of view, as well as within the framework of South Africa’s former role as Chair of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ on Politics, Defence and Security.”
South Africa also enjoys sound economic relations with the world's fourth biggest island after Greenland, New Guinea and Borneo.
This saw total bilateral trade amounting to approximately R3 billion with South African exports totalling almost R1.7 billion and imports amounting to approximately R1.4 billion in 2014.
To date the two sides have signed nine bilateral agreements, while 16 are under consideration. - SAnews.gov.za
